Field of the Invention
The invention is a water amusement ride having a floating body.
Background of the Invention
The invention relates to a preferably spinning water amusement ride comprising at least one watercraft, which is moved in a body of water and which comprises at least one seat for accommodating passengers.
Such a water amusement ride is known e.g. from DE 10 2004 062 315 A1. The floating body of a watercraft supported by the water is connected in an articulate fashion to a running gear, which is guided by a rail arranged at the base of the body of water such that it can perform limited lateral and/or lifting motions in reference to the running gear. Here, in one embodiment the running gear is pulled through the body of water via a towing rope guided over deflecting rolls. Accordingly, this water amusement ride represents a water amusement ride equipped with rails, in which the individual watercrafts are moved along the extension of the rail in a type of creek bed.
For such watercrafts tied to rails, DE 10 2006 053 664 B3 describes that a particular floating body is to be provided underneath the watercraft, which is supported rotationally at a frame. At the bottom of the floating body a paddle wheel is arranged connected thereto such that the floating body is set into a rotary motion when traveling through the body of water. The passengers can enter these watercrafts via a particular landing platform at the station of the water amusement ride, with it being mandatory here that the watercrafts dock at said station in a gentle fashion.
Another water amusement ride relying on rails running within a creek or river bed is described in EP 1 671 686 B1. The floating body and the running gear are here connected to each other via coupling elements. The coupling elements ensure that the floating body is fixed after the running gear of the watercraft has lowered.
A spinning water amusement ride, namely a water carousel, is known from CH 183488. This rotating water amusement ride comprises a floating body with seats for accommodating passengers. The floating body is here embodied as an annular, floating bowl, in which seats are arranged for accommodating persons. The annular floating body can here be supported in the water, rotational about a mast or an anchor, and arranged in a rotational fashion about its location of fastening by way of oars or an auxiliary motor. At the external perimeter of the floating body e.g. a diagonal board may be provided, from which the bathers may allow to be slung into the water when the rotation shows sufficient speed. Furthermore, ropes or rings may be provided at the floating body, allowing persons swimming in the water to be pulled along. The access to the seats located in the floating body is provided via a temporary bridge, which the passengers must cross.
Another spinning water amusement ride is known from DE 10 2009 053 439 A1. It discloses the features of the preamble of the present claim 1. In this rotating water amusement ride a circular, large platform is provided, which in the resting state of the water amusement ride projects from the water surface of the body of water and in the operating state is blow the water surface. This way, the passengers can reach their seats in the water amusement ride with dry feet when the water amusement ride is in the idle state.
Preferably several small, circular individual platforms are located on the large, circular platform, which also rotate in reference to each other. The watercrafts are arranged on these small individual platforms also in a rotational fashion. For example, three watercrafts may be placed on each of the individual platforms, which provide seats to accommodate e.g. four passengers. In this rotational water amusement ride it is essential that when the large platform is raised, the individual platforms automatically are lifted as well by suitable coupling elements. When raising the platform with the individual platforms—depending on the size of the rotating water amusement ride—several tons of weight must be axially moved.
The objective of the present invention is to provide a water amusement ride, particularly a spinning water amusement ride, in which a raising of the platform can occur with lesser energy consumption. Another objective is to provide a suitable driving device for the water amusement ride.